Dunta Robinson's hit vs. Brandon Meriweather's

[Dpantherman]

You cannot lead with your head, and you cannot hit a defenseless reciever, so there is nothing clean about Dunta's hit. I don't see how that is a question. Meriweather deserves a fine and a suspension, but i don't know what the hell he was even doing.

[zebrainz]

You cannot lead with your head, and you cannot hit a defenseless reciever, so there is nothing clean about Dunta's hit. I don't see how that is a question. Meriweather deserves a fine and a suspension, but i don't know what the hell he was even doing.

Merriweather and Harrison deserve to sit for a couple of games without getting paid. Dirty hits and clear violations of the intent of the rules. They led with their head and were clearly trying to initiate helmet to helmet contact on other players in compromising positions. Robinson led with his shoulder to into Jackson's chest. Jackson's head snapped forward, stopped by his facemask coming in contact with the either the upper lip of his shoulder pads or simultaneously into Robinson's right shoulder pad and helmet. The video is unclear in this area.

It's obvious that we are viewing the same video and seeing two different things. If anything, this falls under the new catch all issued in statement by the league on this issue called "devestating hit". It certainly was that. It was almost over the line of what I think should be called as "defenseless receiver", but not quite. I actually think this should be used as the definition of the line between legal and illegal in that area.

I guess this is where we agree to disagree. I saw him lead with his shoulder, not his head as I have said several times. As this could go back and forth forever with no real merit, I'm going to stop now.

[OneBadassCat]

One thing I didn't like about the Robinson call was that they said Jackson was defenseless. Well it was a split second play and if Robinson doesn't blast him then Jackson would have made that catch and could have made a play. He turned and had the ball in his hands. It wasn't necessarily illegal but he got flagged because it was the "correct" thing to do. The refs are pussies and will flag them anytime a big hit is delivered.

The Merriweather hit was absolutely atrocious. He should be suspended.

[Darth Biscuit]

I watched all the hits on SportCenter this morning when they were discussing the NFL's reaction (I say overreaction) to them...

The only one I found to be flagrant was the Merriweather hit on Heap. It was straight up helmet-to-helmet... the rest were just hard football.

[Dpantherman]

OK, last night was shiz, calculus exam to study for among other things, ive slept on it, heard all the arguments, seen all the hits several times now.

I stand firm on the Merriweather and Harrison hits. James Harrison was adamant about his intent, he doesn't care if someone gets hurts. Meriweather should be fined and suspended most definitely...the play was over, and he tried to take Heap out.

Dunta gets a pass, although I still don't like what a I saw (well who did besides a few sickos).

[natty]

I still say Dunta's hit looks legit. It was a split second collision whereas the Merriweather and Harrison hits were not, they were deliberate dirty hits. I doubt suspensions would help anyway because Harrison is a class A idiot.

[Dpantherman]

mortreport Chris Mortensen

Reported on NFL Live - James Harrison fined $75,000 as repeat offender, Dunta Robinson $50,000, along with the $50,000 for B. Meriwether.

[Dpantherman]

This is why Dunta's hit was illegal:

JasonLaCanfora

According to NFL, Robinson's hit was illegal because initial force of the contact by a defender’s helmet, forearm, or shoulder was to the head or neck area of a defenseless receiver who is catching or attempting to catch a pass." Some had asked why he was fined.

[PantherFan52]

this isn't the first time Harrison has done something like this. He's one of the more dirtier players in the league IMO. Nothing wrong with Dunta's hit. He was just trying to get Jackson to drop the ball.

[zebrainz]

Meriwether should be suspended. <-period. It was clearly flagrant. The result shouldn't drive the penalty, the player's actions should. Welcome to "for the sake of appearances" driven America, I guess. Harrison is a repeat offender, his hits weren't as flagrant, but he was clearly leading with his helmet, like he always does and will continue to do until they make him sit out a game or two.

Thanks for the clarification on Robinson's hit Dp, I still don't agree with the league's ruling on it though. I still think his shoulder pad contacted the chest plate of Jackson's shoulder pads and caused more of a reverse whiplash type injury, similar to what killed Dale Earnhardt, just not at 200 mph. It was really close. It certainly appeared to be the most devastating hit when watching it on TV, but that alone shouldn't be the reason for a fine. Both parties had less mass and more velocity when they ran into one another. The thing that sticks in my craw about it was he seemed (to me) to be trying to play football within the rules and make a play to separate the receiver from the ball, unlike the clear headhunting by the other two. I guess I'll go watch that video now that the league has clarified their ruling. Again.

[blackcatgrowl]

This is why Dunta's hit was illegal:

JasonLaCanfora

And that's exactly what I saw, because that's exactly what happened. Like I said... you can't make a play against someone's head. Stupid, stupid move.

I LOL at his defiance against the fine. What a tool. He's sitting there with a concussion, while Jackson might miss time, and he's questioning the fine? He's lucky he didn't draw a suspension.

[g5jamz]

Start suspending players for the same duration someone's knocked out for.

Now...there's a fine line with that turning into World Cup soccer feigning injury, but I think we're intelligent enough to figure that out. Even hockey has embellishment penalties.